Progresses in Synthesis of Benzophenanthridine Alkaloids and Their Derivatives

Benzophenanthridine alkaloids are a small family of natural N-containing compounds that widely distribute in papaveraceous and rutaceous plants and display obvious antitumor and antibacterial activities. In this review, the structure types of natural benzophenanthridine alkaloids are classified based on the particularity of biosynthetic pathway of this group of alkaloids. The synthetic methods of benzophenanthridine alkaloids and related derivatives from 1999 are reviewed with discussion on particularity of each synthetic route.